Rental affordability ‘collapses’ in WA

West Australian renters need an income of around $130,000 a year to afford average rents and avoid housing stress, a new report reveals.

Last of Anglicare WA Rental Affordability Snapshot It painted a bleak picture for the state’s rental market, where affordable properties for low-income households are virtually nonexistent and people on income support are “completely left out.”

There were 209 fewer private rentals available in WA in the 14-15 March snapshot time period compared to the same period last year, with the average rent being $747 per week; This is an increase of 10 percent from the previous year, 15 percent from 2024 and 74 percent from 2021.

The report found that tenants need to earn more than $55,000 extra a year since 2021 to keep up with average rent increases.

Looking regionally, the report found that the state’s North West was the least affordable region to live in, with average rents of $1025 per week, while the most expensive areas to live outside the Perth metropolitan area were the South West and the Great South, where average rents were around $680 per week.

Only one rental nationwide was deemed affordable for a person on JobSeeker.